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(No Model.)

G. A.v INGRAM.

BLASTING BARREL'. No. 295.556,: Patented Mar. 25. 1884.

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WIIIIIILLJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA ttorney" VUiarrnn STATES BATENT i-rica y GEORGE A. iEGEAM, OE PLYMOUTH, PENNSYLVANIA.

BLASTING-BARREL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,556, dated March 25, 1884. Application tiled January 10, 1984. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, GEORGE A. INGRAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Plymouth, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Blasting-Barrel, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to blasting.- barrels; and it has for its object to improve the construction of the saine, so as to make them more safe and efficient in use.

The blasting-barrels now, in general use are of different sizes, both in length and bore, but each are the same size at each end andthroughout without any deviation of the width of the bore'. Each end of the barrel is left open, the inner end communicating with the charge of powder, so that when the squib is fired it travels back through the barrel, and should there be any obstructions in the way the squib will be detained from passing out through the rear opening of the barrel, and thus fail to ignite theV charge of powder. This failure involves a considerable delay, and is, moreover dangerous for the miner, as he is obliged to insert a long wire to open the hole again 5 and should there be any re lurking in the squib,

ing an insufficient he will very likely push it into the charge of powder and cause the explosion of the blast, thereby killing himself.- Besides, if it should happen to explode all right in the iirst instance, agood portion of the force of the powder escapes through the barrel, thereby effectblast for the purposes intended; and, again, if the holes are, as in some cases, drilled upward for upward blasts7 the miner experiences considerable difculty because of the powder running out of the barrel, or rather out of the opening through the barrel, which causes not only a waste of powder,but is very dangerous, since it may run on the lighted match and communicate with the charge beforethe miner has time to make his escape. Y

To obviate the above-mentioned disadvantages and attain the aforesaid objects, my invention consists, iirst, in perforating or otherwise forming openings in one end of the blasting-barrel, so that as the squib passesback it will be certain to ignite the charge of powder communicating with the perforations; and,

second, in forming the rear end of the barrel closed, or providing it with a detachable stopper or cap, so that there will be no danger of powder escaping into the barrel, or the'force of the blast being lessened through any causeV therefrom.

It consists, finally, in certain details of construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view illustrating the application of my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail View of my improved barrel, one of its ends being entirely closed, with the exception of a small opening. Fig. 3 is a similar view, the end of the barrel being provided with a detachable stopper or plug. Figs. 4c, 5, and 6 show various modied forms of stoppers and barrels.

Like letters of reference are used to designate corresponding parts in the several iigures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates my improved blasting-barrel fitted in the blastinghole of the mine, and provided with the squib B, of any desired construction, the match or fuse C extending outward beyond the barrel.

By reference to Fig. 2 will be seen the simplest and cheapest mode of carrying out my invention. It consists inperi'orating the rear portions of ther barrel, as shown at a, and in rounding the rear end, so as to close the same,

with the exception of a small opening, b. perforations a are formed round, and are of such a size as to prevent the admission of powder into the barrel, andyet allow the ready escape of the dame from the squib, so as to ignite the charge of powder. The small openiug b at the rounded end of the barrel also The permits the escape of the dame, while on the Y other hand there will be no danger of the force'oi the powder being lost or lessened to any degree.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate two forms of detach` able stoppers or plugs, which are fitted to the inner end of the blasting-barrel, and also dir"- ferentsliapedperforations to those illustrated in Fig. 2. As seen in Fig. 3, the inner end of the barrel is exteriorly screw-threaded to receive an interiorly-sorewthreaded cap, E, the latter being formed with a central opening, b, for a like purpose as that which is attained IOO ings b are formed in each of the plugs or stopby the use of the. opening b in the rounded end of the barrel. (Shown in Fig. 2.) The construction shown in Fig. 4 is just the reverse of that above described, the cap E being exteriorly screw-threaded, to fit within the threaded inner end of the barrel. Either construction will answer the necessaryr purposes, and hence I do not restrict myself to the use of any particular form.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I dispense with screwthreads as a means of attaching the caps or plugs to the barrel, and simply drive the plugs or Stoppers into or over the inner end of the said barrel. The plug or stopper F of Fig. 5 consists of a body portion, d, having a flanged rim, c, the body portion extending into the barrel, and the flanged rim fitting around the inner end of the same, the plug or stopper being driven into place in any suitable manner. In Fig. 6 the body portion d is hollow and fits around the end of the barrel, a projection, f, extending into the same, as seen. The openpers E, for the purpose before described.

It will be seen that I have shown various forms or shapes of perforations or openings that may be substituted for the perforations c, and yet effect the object of the invention. These forms or shapes may be multiplied, and are not essential to my invention, and for this reason I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the precise form, number, or arrangement of the perforations or slots, since numerous modications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

I would also have it understood that I do not limit myself to any precise manner of attaching the cap to the barrel, nor to any particular form of cap, since either of the constructions shown and described will attain the object which I have in view.

For the purpose of permitting the powder from the exploding charge to rest within the der will protrude a slight distance through the perforations, so as to be readily ignited by the iiame from the squib, and yet there will be no danger of any of the grains of powder escaping into the barrel. This construction will be especially advantageous in upward blasts, since the powder cannot escape into the barrel when inclined and work downward to the lighted match and communicate re to the eX- ploding charge before the minerlhas reached a place of safety. By my construction the powder in the exploding charge will be more certain to take iire when the squib has been lighted, and the escape of the force of the'blast is far less, since the small holes in the barrel will not draw off the gases like the open end in the ordinary blasting-barrel. A

It will be seen that the plugs or caps may be readily removed for the purpose of cleaning the barrel, and for this reason I prefer to make the caps detachable.

\ WIy improved barrel is simple, durable, and efficient, and will prove of important service in its application to blasting purposes.

' Having described my invention, I claim as newe l. A blasting-barrel provided with one or more perforations or slots, the latter having their upper edges beveled or formed countersunk, so that the powder may rest within and protrude a short distance through the perforations, for the purpose set forth.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a blasting-barrel perforated or slotted at one end, and having said end provided with a plug or cap formed with a perforation or opening, said plug or cap being removable, as desired, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE A. INGRAM.

Witnesses:

perfor-ations or slots a., before described, I bevel 'the upper edges of the said perforations, as

Bieren S. BLAIR., SAMUEL Harcourt.

shown at 17, and by this construction the pow- 

